Pomegranate Seeds
by hipsofsteel
Summary: A Hades and Persephone AU. Ivan, King of the Underworld, has chosen his bride in the young god Matthieu, and taken him by force into the land of the dead. Matthieu wishes only to return to his beloved papa, Francis, who is desperately searching to find his son.


**In case you are not as well-versed in Greek Mythology, or my context clues are hard to understand, here is a list of which APH character is which deity (because I confused myself a lot while writing this).**

 **Hades: Russia**  
 **Persephone: Canada**  
 **Demeter: France**  
 **Helios: Spain**  
 **Zeus: England**  
 **Hecate: Prussia**  
 **Hermes: America**  
 **Apollos: Italy**  
 **Poseidon: Japan**  
 **Nyo Romano: Artemis**  
 **Athena: Germany**  
 **Human names used in place of Nation names.**

 **Translations will be in the final notes.**

The universe is divided into three realms, each ruled over by one of three gods, who consider themselves brothers.

The king is the lord of the skies and heavens. He rules over all the gods and demands proper rituals and sacrifices be given to him by both mortals and immortals. I knew this king as 'father' and loved him dearly, though he rarely looked at me. Yet, I knew he loved me and cared for me deeply.

Although there are other names the humans use for him, I always thought of him as Arthur, the name he used among the other gods.

Then there is the king of the oceans, an eternally strong force that demands respect. He was of smaller stature than my father, but to not respect him would be a huge mistake. His hair was as black as his temper, and his dark eyes easily hid his true intentions.

The name we gods used for him was Kiku, a name he had chosen, and many feared him.

Then there was the final realm, ruled by the third and final king. The king of the dead and the underworld. Many mortals viewed him as a demon, a harsh and hated ruler. But we immortals knew him better than that. He was a neutral force in the world, neither fighting for or supporting a war unless he truly believed in the cause.

He was the tallest of the kings, and spoke the least. When he did speak, he was immensely wise and respected.

The mortals called him Hades.

We immortals called him Ivan.

My mother, as you mortals might refer to the god who birthed me, was the god of agriculture. He brought forth crops and fruits from the land, and he bore an eternal patience for my father, who rarely returned his affections. More often than not, papa's love was met with cold silence or bitter screaming.

Papa raised me by himself, and I learned the magicks he knew, bringing forth flowers from the earth the same way he made the fruits of the olive trees or the grains of wheat.

Francis, my papa.

I was his son, his precious child. I knew he cared for me, though sometimes I felt a little stifled by all the attention he gave me. I believe he wished that Arthur had married him, or at least given him more children, for I was all he had.

Papa truly loved my father.

I don't know if my father ever truly loved anyone, whether they were male or female, mortal or immortal.

I only knew that I enjoyed spending time with my half brothers and sisters. Alfred was always challenging me to foot races, although that was unfair. He was the god of messengers, and it was well known he was the swiftest god in existence. Feliciano would always sing with me, and Lovina, when she was not off hunting, would not curse at me quite as often as she did the rest of our family.

I was the god of spring. My magicks were simple, not grand, and I was considered pure like freshly fallen snow. I was a young god, of no great power or strength, or any special talent, and I rarely strayed from papa's shadow.

The mortals would often say that I was invisible before the events of that day, the day where my life story truly began.

My name among my fellow immortals is Matthieu, although it can also be spelled Matthew.

The mortals, however, call me by another name.

They called me by the name Persephone.

Ivan rarely found himself granted a private audience with his brother unless there was war.

Yet here he stood, the chambers empty, save for him and Arthur. He felt it simply a miracle that Arthur had allowed him to enter.

"Ivan, it is rare for you to come here. Is something wrong?" Arthur asked, after sending some minor goddess (probably his latest fling) scurrying from the room.

"Nyet, brother. I only wish to ask permission for something, and request your aide in helping me achieve my goals." Ivan said, and then dipped his head in respect. It was humiliating for him, but at least Arthur would understand that Ivan was serious.

Arthur looked at Ivan, bemused. "You wish for a simple favor, yet request a private audience? Well, speak, brother, I am listening."

Ivan took a deep breath and then spoke. "Recently, I visited the mortal world under my Helm of Darkness. As the sun rose, I saw a god more beautiful than any I had ever seen before. The moment I saw this young god, I knew he was the one I wished to marry."

Arthur grinned. "So you wish to marry?"

Ivan nodded, a small smile coming to his own face. "Da, I do."

"Then speak the name, my brother, and I will bless the marriage, if the lad is not already taken by another."

Ivan closed his eyes as he spoke the name which tasted like honey.

"Matthieu, your son by Francis. He is the lad."

Arthur only had to pause for a moment before nodding. "I bless your union, brother. But Francis will not part with the child easily." The look on Arthur's face expressed mild frustration with the god. Ivan knew that the past between those two was long and complicated.

"I understand that, which is why I request your help."

The king of the gods nodded. "Then tell me your plan, brother."

I ran through the fields, laughing as my friend chased me.

"Kuma, I bet you won't be able to catch me." I yelled, willing the flowers in the fields to tangle my companion's legs.

The bear spirit snarled at the flowers that obeyed my will. "Stop that!" He yelled, something he rarely did, as speaking exhausted him.

Papa was off blessing some nearby fields. I had requested a small amount of time alone with Kuma and the local nymphs and dryads, and my wish had been granted.

Eventually Kuma tore free and then landed on me, knocking me to the ground, and then licking my face. "Hungry." He muttered, and I collapsed into a fit of giggles, picking him up and carrying him over to the nearby stream.

A naiad offered Kuma a few fish, and I summoned a small wild flower tuber. I had some ambrosia with me, but I found the tuber refreshing and enjoyable.

After a short break, I stood to stretch, and spotted a narcissus flower unlike any I had ever seen before. I walked over to investigate the flower, curious.

It was a beautiful plant, with petals the color of blood, and a center that was bright gold. I barely gave it a moment's thought, beginning to dig around the flower. I would take it home and learn how it had been made, so I could make more like it.

Kuma trotted up to my side, and when he saw what I was doing, he turned his attentions to his claws, cleaning them carefully. He may accompany me often, but he was a spirit whose heart lay in the mountains and snow, not the fields and meadows.

The flower was difficult to dig out. I had assumed the bulb would only be a foot underground at the deepest, but it was much deeper than that. Soon, I was incredibly tired.

"Kuma, will you help me dig?"

The bear spirit looked up only for a moment before returning his attention to his claws. I sighed, and soon unearthed the top of the bulb, which was huge.

I wrapped my hands around it and began to pull, hoping to tear it free from the earth. The effort was exhausting, especially in the baking hot sun, and Kuma being a useless pile of flesh with claws nearby.

Finally, I felt the plant give way, and as I fell backwards, I sighed. Finally. I was ready to pass out, and could have eaten a whole plate of ambrosia by myself.

Suddenly Kumajirou growled, and I sat up, looking around. He rushed over to me, snarling at the unseen danger that must be nearby.

"Kuma, what is it?" I asked, frightened. I wondered if I should shout for papa. He would come running if he knew I was in distress, and Kuma had never given me false warning before.

That was when I felt the earth shaking under my body, and I watched in horror as the ground began to split right from where I had just dug out the flower.

I began to shout, but before I could make myself heard, the loud neighing and screeching of four black horses covered my shout as they pulled a chariot out of the earth. A cloaked figure stood behind the reins, and he turned to stare at me. I couldn't see his face, and in my terror, I couldn't stand to run away from the very presence of fear in front of me.

He reached towards me, and Kumajirou lunged for the man. The man raised a weapon, a spear, and swung it, catching Kuma in the midsection, and throwing him to the side. Kuma was injured from the blow given the sudden red discoloration of his fur. The man raised his weapon to delivered a fatal strike.

"Please don't hurt him!" I begged, running to the chariot. My friend could not die!

In a moment, I realized my mistake, for the cloaked figure turned, and grabbing hold of my arm, pulled me into the chariot with him, and then took the reins, shouting a command to his horses.

"PAPA!" I screamed in terror, as the horses suddenly turned, running back into the chasm from which they had come. I tried to pull free of my attacker, but his grip was like iron. I turned my head up towards the sky, to cry out to my father and beg for help, but all I saw was the last sliver of blue sky disappearing.

I was beneath the earth, trapped in the embrace of a dark immortal, and I was alone.

Francis had been knocked to the ground by the shaking of the earth, and then quickly stood, fear flooding his heart. He began to run. "Matthieu! Matthieu!"

When he heard the terrified scream, he ran faster, fear filling his heart. "Mon fils!" He called, the panic becoming more obvious.

He crested the hill the had separated him from the meadow in which he had left his young son to play in, and saw nothing.

"Matthieu!"

Then he saw a small white shape attempting to stand, and he ran to it, finding the bear spirit that always accompanied his son, but Kuma was alone and bleeding.

"Kumajirou, where is Matthieu?"

Kuma opened his mouth, trying to speak, but he couldn't. He was injured greatly. Francis could tell.

He dropped something into Francis's lap, and then managed to whisper one word.

"Danger…"

With that, the spirit collapsed. He would not die, but for now, he was greatly weakened, and it would be some time before he would wake, and the likelihood he would be able to clearly recall the events that had just transpired was slim.

Francis looked down and stared. There was a flower bulb, huge, with a single, battered narcissus growing from it.

"Oh, mon enfant, where are you?"

The chariot finally stopped and I looked around, disoriented and confused. I turned towards my attacker. "Where am I?"

"You are in my kingdom. Do not worry, you are safe here."

I watched the man release his horses, and they ran off towards a distant field. Except now, in the darkness of the earth, I saw the true nature of the black horses.

They were skeletons.

I watched as the man carefully reached for the helm over his head, and when he removed it, the cloak of darkness which surrounded him disappeared.

He looked at me with those pale violet eyes, and somewhat wavy silver hair. His skin, pale as ice, was a stark contrast to the dark around us.

I was in the realm of the underworld, and my attacker was the king.

Francis searched for days, calling out for his missing son, stopping all immortals and mortals he came across, asking if they had seen a lost child.

As the weeks passed without an answer, Francis began to lose hope. He watched the crops wither and die. He tried to help the families he passed, but his depression was overwhelming. It was the grief of a parent at the loss of their child, and none could stop it.

Finally, Francis swallowed his pride. He had not been granted private audience to Arthur for many years, but he prayed that upon hearing of the loss of their child, Arthur would allow Francis to speak.

He flew to the holy mountain and sought an audience with Arthur, and for once, they granted his wish.

But before he could speak, Arthur approached him with anger burning bright in his eyes.

"Did you not promise to keep grain in the field and fruit in the orchard?"

"Arthur, please…"

"What about the flowers of the earth? The gentle winds and rains?"

"Arthur…"

"You are destroying the earth, Francis!"

"Then help me find Matthieu!"

Arthur stopped for a moment. "You are doing this because of Matthew?"

Francis nodded, and then tried another approach, gently speaking as he had long ago. "Please, my lord. Matthieu is my only child, and he is an innocent soul. Even if his attacker has taken him by force and deflowered him, his heart is pure and unadulterated. He is our son. Surely you can help me find our child. Please, Arthur, it is all I ask of you."

Arthur suddenly turned, facing away from Francis. "I cannot help you."

"Arthur…"

"Leave this hall! You are not welcome here until the earth has been restored!"

And with that, Francis was thrown from the hall by a heavenly wind.

"Are you not hungry, moy podsolnechnika?" Ivan asked, watching as Matthieu refused yet another plate of food offered to him.

"No."

Ivan sighed. In the three months Matthieu had been here, he had yet to eat, and only drank the water that flowed in from the mortal world to mix with the River Styx.

"You really ought to eat something, koroleva. It is not good for you to waste away down here."

"I don't belong down here. I belong up in the world with my papa."

Ivan sighed. Matthieu had said this nearly every time they had spoken the past few months. He had no desire to argue, and instead stood turned to leave, as he always did when the conversation changed direction.

"Why did you even take me?" He suddenly heard Matthieu ask.

He turned his head back towards Matthew, surprised by the question. It had been the first time Matthieu had asked him why.

"Because you are beautiful, wise, and stronger than you think, and when I first saw you, I knew in an instant that I loved you."

There was a long pause, and then suddenly Matthieu stood. "You… you love me…?"

"Da, Matvey. I love you, and I want you to be my queen. Moya koroleva."

Matthieu turned and fled from the room, a torrent of emotions obviously stirring up within him.

Ivan turned to one of the silent ghost maidens next to him, and spoke. "Accompany him and watch over him. Make sure he does not come to any harm."

The woman nodded and then hurried off to do his bidding.

After months of despair, Francis was approached by another god.

He stood and attempted to make himself presentable, but gave up the lost cause when it became clear he was just making things worse.

"Gilbert, how are you?" He said, once

The god spoke quieter than he had several centuries earlier. His realm had once been all the magicks of the earth, but now it had been slimmed down to only the magicks of the wild, untameable and unuseable by all except him.

"Francis, I didn't come here to comfort you. I was told to stay quiet, but my conscious will no longer allow it. I know a little bit about what has happened to Birdie."

Francis felt the breath catch in his throat, and then he instantly summoned up a pair of chairs. "Please, Gilbert, sit and tell me what happened to my son, or at least what you know of it."

The minor god sat and began to speak.

 _Love._

 _Love!_

I stumbled away from the room, confused and disoriented. Ivan loved me?

I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm my racing heart. There were emotions and words rolling through my head that I wasn't even sure I wanted to name, much less voice.

 _Love..._

I sat down under a tree in the gardens and looked around. Despite the darkness of Ivan's realm, I had only been shown kindness since my arrival, by his subjects and him. And he called me by so many terms of endearment.

A shadow passed over me, and I turned to see one of the maiden spirits he sent to watch over me. I paused for a moment, thinking, and then made a request of the spirit.

"Sofia, please ask Ivan to come and speak to me here, if he can."

She paused, and then with a swift nod, she turned and disappeared.

Minutes later, he came and sat down next to me, calm and composed.

"Ivan, was what you said... was it true?"

Ivan blinked, and then took my hands, his surrounding mine. "Matthieu, look into my eyes and listen."

I did as he asked, and his hands, I noted, were warm.

"You are beautiful, like a ray of pure light. Your eyes see only beauty in the earth, and that is a trait that no god or goddess I have ever met has carried, besides you. Tell me, what do you think of my realm? It is dark, cold, and lonely, is it not?"

I wanted to disagree, for papa had told me that the world had been divided fairly, and all the brothers had been happy with their lot. But after all this time, I realized that the only other soul here I could truly call decent company was Ivan.

"I agree, but it is also strong."

Ivan shook his head sadly. "Yes, strong. I own the metals forged within, the gems and riches. The spirits of the dead do my bidding. But there is no light here, or company. I have never been welcomed at the holy mountain, for even my brothers fear me except in times of war, when they wish to use my power. To see you here fills a hole within me. You're bringing light to my realm of eternal darkness, and company to my lonely soul."

I finally spoke. "I miss the sky, Ivan. I want to go back to papa." Then I cast my gaze downwards, afraid that he might be angry.

He took one of his hands and cupped it under my chin, lifting up my head so I could meet his gaze. His eyes weren't fierce at all, and his look seemed to express pity.

"I know, Matvey. I am sorry for how things turned out."

And then he wrapped an arm around me, pulling me close and whispering words of comfort when I began to shake with sobs.

 _Taken..._

Francis paced, worried for his son.

Gilbert spoke softly. "There might be one who could give us more information."

"Gilbert, do you think that something bigger might be going on? Few have helped me or listened to my cries."

Gilbert was clearly uncomfortable, and then spoke, changing the subject, Francis noted.. "Francis, we should go and find Antonio. If anyone would know what has happened to Birdie, it would be him."

Antonio, the god of the sun.

Francis nodded and then Gilbert offered Francis his hand. Gilbert could easily find the sun god, and his wild magicks would get them there quicker than Francis's.

Francis took his hand, and they departed.

Antonio was not surprised by the arrival of the pair of gods. "Francis, Gilbert, it is good to see you both again."

Long ago, they had been the best of friends, when Gilbert was still a powerful god, and when Antonio had not been just the sun itself, but also the god who guided it across the skies.

Francis looked at the sun god, and then carefully spoke. "Antonio, please, did you see what happened to my son?"

Antonio looked uncomfortable, but he was an honest soul, and nodded. "Yes, I saw it all."

"Please tell me what has happened to my child!"

Antonio sighed as though in pain, and then spoke, though the voice he used was a strange one. Light magick was closely tied to memory magick, and while Antonio did not have the gift of prophecy like Feliciano, he could recall events of the past with perfect clarity.

 _"There was a flower, a narcissus. It was enchanted to draw the eyes of your child. He labored for many minutes to remove it from the earth, using all of the strength he could muster."_

 _"When he pulled it from the earth, a chasm opened to the underworld, and a chariot emerged from the depths. It was Ivan who drove it, and he gathered your child into his arms and returned to his own lands."_

 _"However, you have no rights to demand the return of Matthieu, for the marriage rites were already performed before that chariot emerged from the earth. He is Ivan's bride, and nothing can be done to break their marriage."_

Francis gasped, and Gilbert blinked in surprise.

Antonio breathed, and then his voice returned to normal. "It is a good match, Francis. Matthieu will rule alongside Ivan as a queen. It is a high honor."

"NO! I will not let my child be kept in the darkest caverns of the earth! Matthieu must be returned to me, for his heart is pure!" There was a long pause, and Francis wiped his tears away quickly. "He is my only child, and I can't lose him."

"There is only one god who could force Ivan to release his hold on Matthieu, and he is the one who blessed their marriage." Gilbert stated, looking concerned.

Antonio nodded, and Francis took a deep breath, and looked to his companions.

"I will bring a plague of drought upon the earth, until Arthur has no choice but to give into my demands. You will help me with this."

They nodded, though Antonio seemed to still believe that it was a suitable match.

After the next morning, no rains fell onto the earth.

The days began to fall into a comfortable rhythm. Ivan showed me his realm, and I sat beside him when he spoke to his subjects. I watched him judge those who wished a better place within the lands of the underworld, and after a few days, he allowed me to pass some of my own judgements.

And when he admitted to me that my father had already wed us, I simply nodded, a little surprised, but I didn't even have the slightest thought against it.

I had begun to care for Ivan with a great love, and although I missed the sight of the sky, I realized that I lived here now. As Ivan said, I was his _koroleva_ , his queen.

I only prayed that one day I would see papa again.

Even though he still offered me feasts every evening, however, I still refused his offer of food. I just had no appetite. But he would simply nod and then eat his own meal.

The earth withered and dried, and soon the mortals stopped praying for food, only water.

Arthur summoned moist winds, Kiku created storms and pushed them inland, but no water ever reached the ground.

Francis's wrath was great, and with the help of Gilbert and Antonio's magicks, none could beat him.

The very soils of the earth listened to the wild magicks of Gilbert, and repelled all water that touched them.

The light of Antonio and the heat it provided dried the clouds and winds.

And wells dried, and trees could no longer reach their aqua firs under the ground.

So Arthur called Alfred to him.

"Go and find Francis. Bring him here, and say nothing. I must speak to him alone."

And so Alfred departed and began to search.

When he found Francis, the god came with him and soon stood in Arthur's court.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" All the gods asked.

Francis simply spoke his demand.

"Return Matthieu to me, and all will be restored."

"Ivan?"

I watched him work, he was still unaware that I was standing behind them. His eyes skimmed through the stacks of papers on his desk, tending to the affairs of his lands.

"Ivan, it's me."

This time he looked up, and a small smile suddenly graced his features. "Matvey, have you come to help me?"

I shook my head. "No, I came because..." I went to say the word, but felt myself turn scarlet. "I came because I wanted to say... that I think I'm… ready..."

Ivan stood, and then walked over to me. His eyes met mine, a simple question asked within them.

I nodded, and then he wrapped his arms around me, lifting me gently. I let him carry me to his chambers, and lay me down in his bed.

He was as gentle with me as one might be with a fragile rose, as though afraid to accidentally knock petal off.

But this rose had hidden thorns, and I knew those thorns would help me rule in this realm alongside my husband.

When we were both satisfied, he stroked my hair until I fell asleep in his embrace.

When I awoke the next morning, I knew two things.

One was that for the first time in the year since Ivan had taken me, I was hungry. My stomach growled as though it were attempting to imitate Kumajirou's roar.

Secondly, I knew there was an outsider in my realm, for there was a sensation of brightness that did not belong here.

Ivan was gone, but he had laid out a set of clothes for me. I dressed, and then headed to the throne room.

Ivan sat in his seat, staring at the young god in front of him. I instantly recognized the boy.

"Alfred? What are you doing here?" I asked as I approached the throne.

He grinned and then spoke. "Arthur bid me to come and fetch you home, to the world above. Despite your marriage, this is not the land you belong in."

I turned to Ivan, and then I realized how dark his face was. He was angry, but he remained quiet for the moment and bid his time.

Alfred looked to me and then spoke again. "Matthew, this isn't a request. Arthur has decreed that you will return to the world above."

I looked down at my garments, a dress of a heavy black material with a golden belt that made me not only look regal, but as though I was surrounded by darkness. I turned and went to Ivan, and quickly took his hands. "Ivan, is this... is it true?"

He nodded. "Yes, my love. It is true. Go and pack, I will join you later."

Then before I could speak, he snatched up his helm of darkness and disappeared into the shadows.

I packed my clothes and sighed.

Two of the silent maidens, Sofia and Natalia, stood nearby, looking sad.

I turned and embraced the figures. They might be ghosts, but there was still a vague solidness to them, and they had helped me through many hard times.

"I will miss you both."

"And they will miss you as well."

I turned and watched Ivan step out of the shadows. He stepped forward and embraced me. I cried into his shoulders.

"I'm going to miss you, Ivan."

"And I will miss you, moy podsolnechnika. I will come and see you soon."

"I..." I began to speak, to return the sentiment, when my stomach suddenly growled loudly. I turned bright red, and Ivan chuckled, pulling something from his pocket.

"I knew you were hungry, so I brought you some fruit."

He offered me a pomegranate, and I nodded, appreciating the gift, and once past the thick rind, I devoured it, Ivan sitting next to me, stroking my hair and kissing my forehead.

My curls were long and thick, as they had been the day he brought me here, and I appreciated the hands running through them. One curl waywardly refused to stop sticking out from the side of my head, and Ivan continued to brush it down, until finally, we could delay the inevitable no longer.

I lifted my bag and Ivan accompanied me back to the throne room where Alfred still waited to take me home to my papa.

Despite my hopes, I knew that papa would never let me return, nor let Ivan come anywhere near me ever again. I may be married, but Ivan would never hold me tight to him again.

He kissed me on the lips, and then whispered quietly into my ear. "Don't worry, Matvey. I will see you again. Do not fret."

I hugged him tightly, wanting to believe him, but doubting that would be the case.

And then I turned, and Alfred took my hand. "Hold on tight, Mattie!"

Francis paced the floor of Arthur's throne room, waiting and watching for Alfred to return. If he came back without Matthieu, Ivan would be declaring war against Arthur, and there was no way Ivan would risk that.

Suddenly there was the noise of air whistling, and all the gods lifted up their heads to watch.

Alfred landed in the center of the room, and there, clutching his arm, was Matthieu.

"MON FILS!"

Matthieu turned to Francis and then a broad smile crossed his face. "PAPA!"

They embraced, and Francis began to speak in gentle French, cooing and comforting Matthieu.

The pair clung to each other until Arthur approached. Francis tightened his grip on Matthieu. "Stay away from him."

"I'm sorry, Francis, but I must make sure Matthew is still pure of soul. If he is not as pure now as he was when he left, he must return to Ivan."

"Ivan may has taken him by force! Will you force Matthieu to return to the realm of darkness because of that?!"

"If he was taken by force, that will not taint his soul. Now Matthew, come over here."

Matthieu looked around, and then nodded, and whispered quietly. "Don't worry, papa."

He walked over to Arthur, and Arthur took his hand.

 _Let me see your soul, my child._

I had never felt so exposed as I did when my father stared into my soul, and then suddenly he pulled away, staring at me in surprise.

I threw my hands up to hide my face, and suddenly there was shouting throughout the entire throne room. I turned, afraid for a moment, until I saw the cause of the commotion.

There, in a heavy black cloak, a helm on his head, and fierce violet eyes, stood Ivan.

In a moment, many gods stood to fight him. Finally, Arthur's booming voice carried through the throne room. "You are not welcome here, brother!"

Ivan chuckled. "Oh, truly? Then let me inquire of you this. How pure is the soul of my wife?"

Papa instantly pulled me back into his arms. "He is pure! You will not have him!"

Except Arthur had suddenly fallen silent. There was a long pause, and all turned to Arthur.

He suddenly dropped his head. "He has been tainted."

Papa shook his head, and held me closer. "No! You're lying!"

"You don't believe me? Then look at Matvey's lips, Francis." Ivan said, and suddenly I was confused. Why were my lips so important?

Papa turned and then stepped back in horror. "Matthieu, your lips are red..."

I blinked, confused, until I felt a hand on my shoulder. Ivan stood next to me, and then pulled a pomegranate out of his cloak. "The deal is done, Francis. He has eaten the food of the realm of the dead. It is his true home now. None who eat the fruit of my land can return to the world above."

I realized with fear but also with a strange hope that I could return to the underworld with Ivan.

But I would never see papa again. Or the blue sky.

I pushed away from Ivan, and I knew the hurt and betrayal clearly showed in my eyes. "Ivan…"

Suddenly papa snarled and shouted. "The earth will burn, and your crops will wither! I will kill so many men, women, and children that the underworld will be flooded by souls! You may steal my son, Ivan, but my revenge upon you will never end!"

Many other gods stood up at that, some siding with Ivan, some with my papa. I stood there in horror and shock at the battle that was about to begin in the courtroom.

Suddenly I felt an arm grab mine, and turned to see Alfred. He put a finger to his lips, and then flew me across the room, depositing me next to father.

Arthur, upon seeing me, used his own magicks. The sky filled with lightning and thunder, and the smell of ozone filled the throne room. The arguments fell silent under the gaze of my father's wrath.

"Francis, your son is a god of the underworld now. There is little that can be done."

Papa began to march angrily towards father. "If you think that I will let you take away my son, then you'd better think again, because…"

"I'm not done, Francis." My father said, interrupting papa's rant. Papa stopped, taking several deep breaths, and I could see his whole body shaking with fear and rage.

"However, I must remind my brother that while eating the fruit of the underworld does mean that Matthew must live in the underworld some of the time, he is a god, and therefore, he may spend part of the year in the upper world as well. With this arrangement, Matthew will live with each of you during the course of a year."

Papa started to object, but Ludwig suddenly set a hand on papa's shoulder, shaking his head. Ludwig was the god of war and strategy. Despite not liking it, papa knew it would be unwise to dismiss his advice. His objections fell silent.

Ivan carefully stepped forward and took my hand. "I knew this was how it would turn out, moya koroleva. I request your company for seven months of the year as decided by the moon."

In his voice, there was a more silent request. _Forgive me for tricking you._

Thirteen moon cycles in a year, seven of which I would spend with my husband, six with my papa.

I nodded. "I will see you in six cycles of the moon, mon amour."

Ivan smiled, a quick, sweet smile that I doubted many had ever seen, and then stepped back. He donned his helm of darkness, and then turning, disappeared into his own shadow.

Papa ran forward, crying tears of relief into my hair, and I took a moment to gaze upon the earth.

I took my papa's hand and then spoke softly. "Let's go bring life back to the earth, shall we?"

Papa said nothing, only smiling, wiping a tear away, and then following me. We brought rain to the crops, fruits to the fields, and flowers to the meadows.

As I stood at the meadow, I turned to see a large white shape running towards me.

"Kumajirou! You're alive!"

He slammed into me, and after my face was throughly licked, he sat on my chest and whined. "Hungry!"

My stomach growled as well, and I nodded. "Yes, hungry indeed."

And then I smiled and laughed at the brilliant blue sky above me.

 _Several years later…_

Ivan was not having a good day. Humans needed to stop inventing ingenious new ways to kill themselves. He was getting a headache from the amount of paperwork piling up on his desk, and there were at least four cases that had been turned over to him for final judgement.

" _My lord…"_ A voice spoke in his ear, and he turned to see Sofia hovering nearby. He was the only one who could hear her speak.

"Leave me, Sofia. I'm not in a good mood." He said, quickly dismissing her.

" _But my lord…"_

"Leave!"

Minutes later Natalia arrived and she didn't even try to be polite. Grabbing his sleeve, and pulling, she yelled. " _Lord Ivan, you must come now!"_

He was looking at another death due to war, and was not in the mood. "Leave me!"

"Oh? But I just got here."

Ivan turned. That voice was one he knew well.

Matthieu stood in the doorway, already dressed in the black and gold he preferred in Ivan's realm, and in his hand he held a red pomegranate.

Ivan instantly dropped his paperwork and then, whisper-quiet, he spoke. "It's already time again?"

"Oui, mon amour."

Ivan felt himself breath deeply, and then he ran forward and took Matthieu into his arms. "I have missed you, moy podsolnechnika."

"And I you."

 **Translations:**

 **French**  
 **Mon fils- My son**  
 **Mon enfant- My child**  
 **Mon amour- My love**

 **Russian**  
 **Nyet- No**  
 **Da- Yes**  
 **moy podsolnechnika- my sunflower**  
 **moya koroleva- my queen**


End file.
